Chapter Three : The Grounds

San Francisco, USA

April 2012

Lynn Vandestine

He was standing in an old, mouldy garage, where he had come to meet a guy. Actually, he had no other choice except keeping his order and coming here.

His heart was throbbing with fear.

At that moment, a man came into the place. He had a bald head, wrinkled skin and that kind of blue sharp eyes which made someone real scared. Two suited man with black sunglasses also appeared behind him.

"Agent Stanley." The old man, named Chief Malum, said in a deep voice and stopped a feet away from him.

"Chief Malum," Lynn replied flatly. 

"I never asked you why you don't use your father's surname." Chief folded his arms across his chest, pinning him with his eyes. 

God, he hated this man.

"Because my so-called father was a good man. Just like you." He bantered him.

Chief laughed lightly. "Oh, he was. It's so bad you killed him. You didn't need to."

Lynn clenched his fists.

"Can you talk about why you wanted to meet?"

Chief reacted as if he had just remembered. "Right, right. About why I wanted to meet with you. The Conditorem have made a decision."

     Lynn inhaled sharply, because that couldn't be good. The Conditorem was a secret society of a bunch of evil people, who could do everything they wanted. It wasn't as simple as it sounded, they really could control anything. 

His father used to work for them.

Now, Lynn had to work for them too.

"You are the chief," said Lynn slowly. "That means you made a decision, right?"

"You have to leave America," Chief declared.

Lynn stiffened. 

What? No way.

"Why?" He asked in a shaky voice. 

Chief stepped front, smiling wolfishly.

"Because I said so. I have an assignment for you. You are going to Canada."

"It's ridiculous! I can't go back there."

"Police won't look for you again, it's all settled, boy. And also you're not going to Calgary."

Calgary was his birthplace. 

"Then where?" He questioned harshly. 

"Magdalene Islands. No more questions." Chief turned to walk back.

"What if I refuse?" Lynn asked angrily, without any thought, as he was furious at this man.

Chief slowly turned back to him.

"Did I hear you correctly? Refuse?"

"Yes." Lynn wanted to see what he could do.

"Show him." Chief ordered one of the suited men behind him.

The tall guy opened his bag and pulled out a laptop. The other guy brought a small table from a corner of the empty garage. They started to do something in the laptop. 

"Chief," after a while they said.

Lynn moved front, feeling a bit curious. 

It was a CCTV footage of a room, located in front of the open window. It was evening and dark, but a little later, the light was on.

It was Sam's room.

Lynn gasped. 

They were watching her. Continuously. 

He turned to Chief, who was watching the tape as if it were a comedy movie. Lynn felt so much anger inside him that it seemed he couldn't control. 

"There's more." He laughed. 

His aunt Sicily, his mother, his younger brother Mahone. They all were being watched. Under guns.

They showed him more tapes and he helplessly, bitterly realized, The Conditorem were watching the people he cared in his life, the only ones. 

What could he do?

"You have exactly ten minutes for your girl. Then you're leaving. Understood?"

"Don't hurt them." Lynn looked down. 

"Don't worry. We'll take care of them as long as you do your work properly. Your father was a fine man, but try not to make the same mistake he made."

Lynn looked up into his eyes. 

"Now!" Chief hissed like a snake. 

He took a few deep breaths, a try to make himself calm. But how was that possible when you know your loved ones are in danger?

Lynn tapped at the window. 

A second later, Sam appeared, smiling. She opened the window and helped him to climb inside. 

"Interesting entrance." She sat on a chair.

Lynn laughed a little. "Yeah. I thought I should try once. What are you doing?"

She went back to type in her laptop. "I'm writing a article for our school magazine. It's about swimming, actually."

"Swimming, huh?" He placed his hands on her both shoulders, massaging gently. "That reminds me how you look in bikinis."

She chuckled softly. "How do I look?"

He touched her skin under the thin shirt. "You look divine. You make me like my whole body is in fire."

She turned her face to him, raising an eyebrow. "Mr. Stanley, are you flirting with me now? Really?"

"Maybe I am." He kissed her jaw lightly. 

She stopped typing. Then she took his hands in hers and stood up.

Lynn sat in her bed and placed her in his lap, staring up at her eyes. Those ocean blue eyes, which made him wanting to forget everything but her. Which eyes comforted him, calmed him, cared for him.

He wrapped his arms around her hips.

She cupped his face gently. "Where were you all the day, Lynn?"

The hurt in her voice made his heart ache. There was no way that he could tell her about The Conditorem, that would make her worried. His father made mistakes and he had to pay for that and he couldn't get her involved in this mess. He knew she was strong, but he just couldn't tell her.

He had to lie.

"I had some work," he looked away. "Oh, I forgot to tell you__I have to go see Aunt Sicily. Tonight."

"Is she sick again? Can I come with you?"

He shook his head. "No, it's okay. I will go myself, don't worry." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Okay."

Lynn and Sam stared at each other, so many unspoken feelings they were feeling. They understood each other so perfectly. 

She leaned forward slowly and press a kiss in the corner of his mouth, her fingers moving in his soft hair. She kissed another corner of his mouth, then his cheek, his jaw.

He inhaled deeply her scent and tightened his arms around her hips. He felt her lips in his ear, her hand on his chest. 

"Your heart is beating so fast," she whispered. 

He closed his eyes. It was true.

He moved his hands and placed them behind her neck. 

"I want you," he whispered back.

Her breath sped up.

He kissed her lips softly. She looked into his eyes, her face inches from his.

He slammed his lips with her.

    They were standing in front of his car.

"Tomorrow you'll be back, right?" She asked.

He placed the travelling bag in the backseat and closed the passenger door. Then he reached to her, taking her both hands. 

"I am not sure, Sammy. But you don't need to worry." He hugged her tightly. 

Please tell me not to go. 

She moved back, her expression sad.

"What's wrong?" He said. 

She took a deep breath. "I know you aren't going to visit Aunt Sicily. You're wrong if you thought that I couldn't read you. I can tell when you lie to me."

Lynn looked down, his heart was breaking. 

"I am sorry."

"Is it about your father?"

He nodded. "I'm really sorry."

"What about the camera outside of my window? Who was watching me?"

He froze. How did she know?

"It was....nobody. I broke the camera. Looks like my father made some enemies."

She didn't look satisfied with his answer, but she said, "Be careful, please."

"I will. I have a gun with me, you know."

"I understand." She said in a low voice. 

He swallowed hard. "Okay."

She kissed him lightly. "It's getting dark. "You should go. Goodbye."

He didn't want to release her hand.

He kissed her for last time. And he opened the car door and got in.

"Bye. I'll be back." He fired the ignition. 

She smiled sweetly. "Be safe in the way."

Lynn looked at her, not trying to hide his tears. 

"Lynn?" she called. 

"Je veux que tu te souvieness de moi."

( I want you to remember me.)

San Francisco, USA 

August 2016

Lynn Vandestine

He doesn't think she remembers him. She didn't say anything when he said his name was Edwin. She didn't recognize him.

Now he is in a car with her, she's driving. He is thinking what could be happened to her. It has been three painful years since he had to leave, but she.....

Lynn clenched his fists hard.

The Conditorem.

What have they done to her?

 Samlin Greenham 

I stop my car and glance around.

It seems like a tiny forest and the place is quiet, because there's no building at all. The lake must be inside of the forest. I stare at the wild, green trees for a moment, then look at Edwin. He's sleeping. 

We didn't talk in the way. I don't like to talk when I'm driving, it distracts me. A month ago, I had a tiny accident while I was talking on the phone with my mother. Nobody was hurt, but from then I decided not to talk with someone in the car.

I just explained it to him and he nodded and stared sleeping. I grab my car keys and bag, ready for swimming. 

How can someone sleep in a moving car?

I study Edwin for a minute, watching his sleeping figure. His lips are slightly parted and he's breathing steadily. He has his hand under his head, leaning against the seat. 

Why does he seem so familiar?

Who is he? Dumb, rich kid from Canada?

Or someone I used to know?

Stop it, Samlin.

I nudge him lightly in his elbow. "Edwin, wake up. We are here."

He doesn't even move one inch, continuing to sleep.

I nudge him again. Firmly. 

He still doesn't move. 

I shout, "Edwin!"

Is he faking?

I grumble and pull out a notebook from my bag. I tear a page apart and crumple it narrowly. And then I enter the page into his ear.

He jerks, snapping his eyes open. 

"Jeez! What are you doing?" he pats his ear.

"You weren't waking. What am I supposed to do?" I ask innocently. 

He rubs his eyes, yawning. "Well, it was a nice drive."

"It sure was for you."

"Um...where are we?"

We get out of the car and start walking. 

"What are you going to show me?" he asks.

"I have never been here before." I remove some small branches in front of my way.

"You're not gonna kill me, are you?" He tries to joke, but I hear a bit fear in his voice. 

What the heck?

I stop, turning to him.

"Really?" I scoff. "Why would I kill you?"

He says nothing, watching me. 

"Come on, it's just a lake." I wave my hand. 

He doesn't say anything and gently passes me, walking ahead. 

"So...you're from Canada, right? Which city?"

"You won't recognize," he replies.

"Try me." I glance around, searching for the lake. Where is it?

"Calgary. City in Canada."

I stop for a while. 

Is my past coming back?

"You know it?" he scoops, picking a wild flower. 

Celandine.

"Oh, Calgary? Um...it's situated in Alberta province of Canada. The center of Canada's oil industry. Calgary's another name is 'Cowtown'. Famous for July rodeo, festival, Calgary tower, blah blah blah."

"Wow." He is amused. 

"There was someone who I used to know. He was from Calgary, too."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know. My cousin, maybe. I can't recall much. My psychiatrist said I had a little memory loss."

He frowned. "Psychiatrist? Memory loss? And you're not worried?"

"Should I be?" I ask. Because I've got more important things to worry about. I have tried to remember about that cousin, but.....

Suddenly a shocking pain hits my head. 

"Uhh!" I groan, holding my head tightly. Everything I see is blunt, just my head is aching so much, flashbacks running in my brain. Like a knife. 

Flashbacks of a boy. And me.

Pain, pain and pain.